The data were obtained from 51 herds to participate in the Nelore Catttle Breeding Program (NCBP) from the states of Goiás (GO), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Mato Grosso (MT), Minas Gerais (MG), São Paulo (SP), Maranhão (MA) and Bahia (BA). Were used to estimative genetic parameters for standardized weights at 120 (P120), 455 (P455) and 550 (550) days of age. Univariate and bivariate analysis were performed by animal model using MTDFREML program. For P120 was used a model that included contemporary groups and cow age at calving as fixed effects, and direct genetic, maternal genetic and permanent environment effects as random effects. For P455 and P550 were utilized the same model but without maternal direct and permanent environment effects. The estimates of heritability direct from univariate analysis were: 0.29, 0.51 and 0.47 for P120, P455 and P550, respectively. In the bivariate analyses the direct heritability values were of high magnitude. The genetic correlation between P120 and P455, P120 and P550 and P455 and P550 were 0.92, 0.93 and 0.96, respectively. The values of the heritability coefficients estimated for the trait P455 and genetic correlation that characteristic with others indicate that the genetic evaluation could be made at the 15 months of age.
bovine; genetic evaluation; genetic parameters; growth traits; Nellore
